Thank you to Meri and St. Martin’s for an advance copy of Mint Chocolate Murder.

The second book in the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series picks up with Riley Rhodes and her successful ice cream shop, Udderly Delightful, being featured at an art festival held at the historic Moy Mull Castle. The owner of the castle, Maud, has invited high profile artists and art gurus to celebrate a new exhibit by Adam Blasco, a photographer who is as talented as he is obnoxious. But once Adam turns up dead, Riley can’t help getting herself involved in another murder mystery, knowing there are several people (the mistress of the castle included) who could’ve wanted Adam taken out.

One of my favorite things about cozies is that you can just hop in anywhere and feel right at home. I have not read the first book in this series (and now having read the second, I can’t say I will go read the first, but I will definitely keep an eye out for subsequent installments) but I easily connected to the characters and had the impression that I have known them for years.

I love books that feature art and I love cozies centered around food, so when I was offered an arc of this one, I couldn’t pass it up. I was not disappointed. Riley is lovable, as well as most of the side characters – although I don’t feel as though I got to know most of whom I would assume will be recurring faces very well I did enjoy meeting them and want to learn more about them going forward.

I thought the setting was unique – most ‘shop’ mysteries center directly around the shop itself, but the castle setting was a nice change up that offered something different than we typically see in cozies. I did find it a little strange that the title referred to mint chocolate, but the core flavor of the story was pumpkin spice 🤔 However, it didn’t bother me or turn me off from the story. Truth be told, I don’t care for mint chocolate chip ice cream anyway!

Creating delicious new ice cream flavors for a catered party is atop Riley Rhodes list of Riley favorite things. Unfortunately there are undercurrents and tensions tarnishing the event, especially when a body is found the next morning. A lively cozy, full of well drawn characters. An captivating addition to the series.

While I haven't read the first book in this series (yet) I look forward to it after reading Mint Chocolate Murder by Meri Allen. Ice cream, art and a Scottish style castle collide for the Moy Mull's Fall Arts Festival. Riley and the Udderly Delightful Ice Cream Shop crew are back, serving up scoops of ice cream and solving the mystery of what happened to unpleasant photographer Adam Blasco when he is found dead in the castle's dungeon.

Between scoops and investigating, Riley comes up with interesting ice cream flavors. Reading about the popularity of the pumpkin spice ice cream has me ready for fall and everything pumpkin. I look forward to the next book in this series, as well as catching up with the first.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

What do you get when you have ice cream, a castle, and a former CIA Librarian??? You have a good time, that’s what you do.

I had another great time with Riley and her sleuthing ways. We were introduced to a few new characters that hope to see again and of course the diva, Sprinkles, upstages everyone.

Although a Cozy Mystery, I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys the more soft boiled side of the mystery genre.

This is a perfect series, whether you are in the heat, with your favorite ice cream, or curled up with a blanket and a cuppa, you will not be disappointed.

Mint Chocolate Murder is fun escape. A small New England town with a glamorous model turned philanthropist living in a castle/estate hires Riley, the amateur sleuth and ice cream entrepreneur, to craft specialty desserts for her artist retreat event. Meri Allen takes us to Maine and a fascinating home full of delicious treats. An exploitative photographer is found murdered in a locked room.

Riley turns out to have retired from the CIA. Her investigative skills help her to uncover clues that even the police couldn't find. She is daring, unafraid and creative in her investigation. Mint Chocolate Murder is full of pumpkin spice ice cream and a delightful murder mystery!

Riley Rhodes is back to investigating in Mint Chocolate Murder, the second book in Meri Allen's Ice Cream Shop Mysteries.
Fall is here and Riley is still happily managing her friend Caroline's ice cream shop Udderly Delicious in the scenic destination town of Penniman, Connecticut.
Riley is busy creating new ice cream flavors for an event at Moy Mull, a Scottish Castle that has been converted into an art colony by former supermodel Maud Monaco.

The author spends time developing the new characters and the history of Moy Mull which cleverly sets the scene for the mystery. I love a good gothic castle setting, even when its a reproduction built in the Connecticut countryside. It's no surprise when an unlikable character is found murdered, but I never guessed the correct culprit until close to the end.
Riley's past working in research for the CIA makes it easy to believe she'd be unable to resist investigating a local crime and unearthing every possible secret of the list of suspects.

Much like Riley's ice cream flavors, there are so may layers to the mysteries in this series. We learn about the castle of Moy Mull and its various secrets, the artists who occupy the retreat and their careers in photography and modeling. Beekeeping also plays a role in the story.
I enjoyed the depth and detail in the story, and felt as if it still moved at a satisfying pace.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received an advance ebook copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for review.
All opinions are my own.

What a fun and Udderly Delightful cozy mystery. Lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing whodunit. I enjoyed meeting Riley and the other characters at the ice cream shop. They seem interesting and like people I'd want to know. And Sprinkles the diva cat is a hoot!

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

A good story but a weak editor who should have pushed for a better book title, caught the overuse of the verb “jog” and toned down many of the unnecessary descriptions of clothes and accessories.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #MintChocolateMurder for an advanced digital copy.

Mint Chocolate Murder, the second book in the Ice Cream Shop mystery series by Meri Allen/Shari Randall was released yesterday. Main character Riley Rhodes, CIA librarian and now ice cream shop manager, doesn’t just solve one mystery in this book, she solves three. All of which were satisfying for the reader and also reminding us that in every crime there are more victims than perpetrators.

I love Meri’s/Shari’s secondary characters, and in this volume, another secondary character came to life that seemed worthy of more appearances, but we’ll see if that comes about in further books.

Please congratulate Meri Allen/and WWK blogger, Shari Randall on the publication of this very relaxing and intriguing read!
E. B. Davis


Thanks so much for interviewing me, E.B. I always enjoy our chats.
Rocky doesn’t sleuth with Riley in this book. Why is Rocky on the outs with Riley? Rocky has just been neutered and has had to suffer the indignity of wearing the cone, so he’s not happy with Riley at all. Plus the other cat in the house, Sprinkles, has been acting out, and Rocky wants to escape the drama.

Is the title of this book a red herring? Why not Pumpkin Spice Murder? I’d originally titled this book The Cold Art of Murder, but the publisher decided to go with flavor names and loved the alliteration of Mint Chocolate Murder. All the references to Pumpkin Spice grew out of the character’s dialogue – so many people are obsessed with the flavor it becomes a running joke, but it didn’t play a role in the plot.

When people meet Riley and know she’s the manager of Udderly Delicious Ice Cream shop, what do they say to her? Everyone greets Riley by announcing their favorite flavor. She’s gotten used to it and enjoys it – it shows how much she’s been embraced by the Penniman community.

Prentiss Love is a likeable character. Will he stay as a secondary character? Everyone loves Prentiss! Isn’t he wonderful? I want him for a best friend. I promise to never kill him off.

Riley brings custom ice cream for the event at Moy Mull: Cherry Vanilla with Luxardo cherries poached in bourbon and cinnamon; Rhubarb Crumble, Pumpkin Spice, Amaretto laced with bitter chocolate with almond biscotti crumble; Pear and Stilton, and Unicorn—a bubble gum flavor. What are Luxardo cherries? What does Riley have against Pumpkin Spice? She’s selling a ton of it. Luxardo cherries are a special type of cherry preserved in a liquor made by processing the pits, leaves, and stems of Marasca cherries. This gives them a touch of flavor similar to amaretto or almond. It’s a far cry from a typical maraschino cherry. Riley’s pumpkin spice ice cream is so popular that she spends a lot of time making it, time she’d like to spend sleuthing!

What is cranachan? What is Riley’s take on it? How is the word pronounced? Cranachan (CRAN-a-kan) is a traditional and decadent Scottish dessert, similar to a trifle, that layers raspberries, cream, and toasted oats (that can first be soaked in whisky). Honey -- heather honey if you can find it -- is incorporated in the cream. Riley first encountered the dessert in a snug pub near Edinburgh Castle, and makes her own version for a very special Scottish themed dinner at the art colony’s castle.

How are ice cream rosettes made? It’s easy? I haven’t tried it myself, but I’ve heard the key is keeping it cold. Here’s a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxvT63vULqg


Why does Sprinkles, the former pedigree show cat, need therapy? How does she flunk therapy? Let’s just say that Sprinkles is having trouble adjusting to all the changes on the farm and at the ice cream shop. Sprinkles feels rejected and Riley and her best friend, Caroline Spooner, are eager to try anything to get Sprinkles out of her funk. The scene with the therapist was a hoot to write!

How does culinary-grade heather taste? Where do you get it? Is it pretty? You can buy it from specialty culinary shops online. It’s light purple and has a flavor similar to chamomile.

Due to her failed CIA assignment with the culprit, Paolo, Riley second guesses her instincts. Understandable, but at the end of her assessment, Riley knows she didn’t misread Paolo, she fooled herself into believing in him. Why did Riley do that? Riley, who is usually so level headed, was swept off her feet by the handsome and magnetic Paolo. I think the romance of Italy probably played a part, too.

Is the allure of genius what attracts fans and groupies? Does it apply to artists as well as tech/business tycoons? This is such a good question. Many books have been written by people who fell under the spell of a “genius” (thinking of Loving Frank about Frank Lloyd Wright, Pablo Picasso, Hemingway). Who can understand what attracts one person to another? Frankly I’d run as far away from Adam Blasco, the odious “genius” photographer in Mint Chocolate Murder, as I could, but somehow many models flocked to him.

What flavor is Bloody Mess ice cream, and why is that its name? A fun subplot in the book is the arc with Brandon Terwilliger, one of Riley’s teenage employees. Brandon creates flavors that baffle Riley and the other adults at Udderly, but prove to be hugely successful with Penniman teenagers because it becomes a dare to eat them. Bloody Mess incorporates coconut ice cream, white chocolate covered pretzel pieces, raspberry jam, and marshmallows. His creations prove the wisdom of the old saying “to each his own.”

Flo and Gerri are opposite, but they also have common interests. How do they differ and what do they share? Sisters Flo and Gerri are retired educators (Flo Kindergarten and Gerri a high school principal), work part time at Udderly Delicious, and are knowledgeable genealogists, so much so that they’re referred to (behind Gerri’s back) as the Graver Girls. Apart from these similarities, they couldn’t be more different. Flo is a sunny free spirit who prefers bright primary colors, and Gerri a battle axe who is president of every club in Penniman and favors jewel toned, dramatic clothes and accessories.

What is a Gretna Green marriage? In the 1700s, laws regarding marriage in England were tightened to require couples to be 21 and marry in a church. In Scotland, the law required only that the couple declare themselves free to marry and undergo a less formal ceremony called “handfasting.” Gretna Green is a small Scottish town right over the border with England where many of these so-called “runaway” marriages took place.

Riley considers Tilly, the police dispatcher, the devil. Why? Riley considers her relationship with Tilly O’Malley, the police station secretary, a devil’s bargain. Riley knows that for every tidbit of inside information she gets from Tilly over tea at Lily’s Tearoom, she’ll have to give something back to “the loosest lips in Penniman.”

A pamphlet at the castle “The Story of the Weeping Lady” was written by S. W. Randall. Did you ever write such a thing? I did so much work researching haunted Scottish castles, I decided to treat myself to a cameo appearance in the book!

How did Riley train to read text in any direction? Can you do that? I can. I’ve heard of several other writers who can read upside down text, too. Riley has found this particular small talent useful.

I was surprised to learn that color photography started in the 1890s. Why did it take so long for it to be mainstream? Inventors had long understood the science of color and light, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that a process was developed that made color photography commercially possible – possible but still cumbersome and extremely expensive. Before that, photographs were hand tinted by miniaturists.

When Sprinkles has a temper tantrum, she really is vindictive, isn’t she? Sprinkles has such a, shall we say, operatic personality? She’s so much fun to write.

If someone is in this country on a work visa, can they really be thrown out just by being questioned during a police investigation? Not for being questioned, but being convicted of any crime will put their immigration status in jeopardy. Luca, the student beekeeper, is working on the farm and is very attached to Willow Brightwood. Riley cares deeply for both Willow and Luca, and is driven to help prove Luca’s innocence.

What is a Morganatic marriage? How do you know this stuff? Nothing like falling down the genealogy rabbit hole! Throughout history, royals have fallen in love with and wanted to marry commoners. Their families and royal courtiers didn’t want any real power to transfer to these spouses, but a caring royal could give a commoner spouse substantial gifts of real estate or jewelry in order to give them financial security. This gift would traditionally be given the morning after the wedding (“morgen” in German).

Is there a word for a woman bigamist? Not that I know of. Readers? Actually, I think there’s been a movement toward a gender-free use of the word “bigamist,” though it is more common for men to marry while still legally tied to a female spouse.

Was it fun writing this book? Absolutely! I’ve been eager to write a locked door mystery, and to incorporate a mystery in a castle. One of my favorite places is Gillette’s Castle in East Haddam, Connecticut, and it was my model for Moy Mull. Also, developing recipes and treats for a fantasy ice cream social was a dream come true.

What’s next for Riley? I just wrapped the third, as yet untitled Ice Cream Shop mystery. Riley’s next adventure will take place at a historic inn on the Penniman Green, during a Halloween-themed wedding. I can’t wait for you to read it.

Typical cozy - a quick read. The hook is that main character, Riley Rhodes, manages an ice cream shop, so there is lots of discussion about ice cream.

There’s some fun characters - Maud Monaco, Riley (the main character) - and a few twists in the plot. I liked the inclusion of the room that was impossible to get a cell signal in. My one complaint is that it was set in the fall, and I read it during the spring when I’m not thinking of pumpkin flavors.

Recommended.I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and voluntarily chose to review.

Maud Monaco, a former supermodel, has turned Moy Mull, into an artist colony with state-of-the-art security.
The castle, built by Ben Clitheroe, a Gilded Age millionaire so enamored of Scotland, he imported both materials and craftspeople to complete what some called “Clitheroe’s Folly.”

With the annual arts festival approaching, Maud hires Riley, manager of the ice cream shop Udderly Delightful, to create delectable treats for the opening reception of an exhibit by photographer Adam Blasco, whose disturbing images of women seem to reflect the rumors that he becomes obsessed with his models. When Adam fails to show up at a lecture the next morning, they find him dead, locked in the castle’s dungeon—with the security tapes showing no one but him going inside the room.

Riley, a former librarian with the CIA, can’t help but ask questions, finding that almost everyone staying at the castle that night had a motive to kill Adam. Her queries take her to the earliest days of the castle as she enlists the help of the Penniman Historical Society. Her research reveals the keys to more than one crime.

Riley is a likable main character, and though she’s an amateur sleuth, her background gives her a reason to be interested in mysteries and skills to contribute to investigations. Small town Penniman with leaf peepers and locals obsessed with pumpkin spice ice cream is a charming setting, and I enjoyed the secondary characters, including Sprinkles, the destructive cat who was booted from the cat show circuit.

Although there is no issue reading this as a stand-alone , I wished I’d read the first book in the series to have a better understanding of the characters. I liked that there wasn’t a lot of romance in the book. But Adam’s body wasn’t found until about a quarter into the book, and I wish that the scene-setting had been condensed. Conversely, the ending felt a little rushed. Overall, I thought this was a fun cozy mystery, enjoyed the castle scenes, and was hungry for ice cream the entire time I was reading. Includes recipe for no-churn pumpkin spice ice cream.

This is a great summer read. There’s an artist’s festival, ice cream, a murder mystery, and numerous suspects involved. Meri Allen’s writing reminds me of Joanne Fluke, because she keeps you guessing and wondering right up to the suspenseful end when the killer is finally revealed. And best of all, it’s a cozy mystery so there are no gory details.
I received a copy of this story to read and give my honest review.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Not sure why the title has Mint Chocolate in it when it seems like the Pumpkin Spice was the flavour of the month in this story. Riley is hired to provide ice cream at a pseudo Scottish castle. The guest of honour is a rather nasty photographer who has a thing for young and innocent girls. Maud, the ex-model, was one of the first and he may have set his sights on the next one, much to the chagrin of the current one. The fact that he is murdered is no mystery. The means with which he was murdered and how that murder was executed however are. Death by bee venom is not unexpected when the victim is highly allergic. But he is in a locked dungeon in the bowels of the castle when it occurs.

There are lots of good suspects from both Maud’s camp of followers and his own camp of followers. Riley cannot resist a locked door murder and she does figure out the motive and the means. It does take her into some very dark and scary places. But no scarier than trying to handle Sprinkles, the spoiled psycho cat who belonged to the deceased mother of Riley’s best friend and room-mate. But it turns out that Vye, one of the suspects, has the special torch that turns Sprinkles from a maniac to a princess..

This is a series that is quite delicious although some of the ice cream flavours they come up with are a bit too daring for my tastes. Still, it is good summer reading. Four purrs and two paws up.

If you will allow Poirot to offer you a piece of wise advice: the pursuit of revenge is rarely a good idea.

Another murderous visit to Penniman and Udderly Delicious Ice Cream shop run my former CIA librarian Riley Rhodes. We venture up to Moy Mull Castle, now an artist retreat, owned and operated by America’s Princess Maud. When Maud’s ex husband ends up dead in the dungeon Riley’s former operator’s cap goes back on before a new friend of hers can be framed for murder. Thoroughly enjoyable!

When a world famous photographer is murdered at a local castle/arts colony, former CIA agent and current ice cream shop manager Riley Rhodes is thrown into the midst of things as she tries to discovered the culprit as well as solve the disappearance of the former owner's wife. Another fun Ice Cream Shop Mystery from cozy author Meri Allen (aka Shari Randall), Mint Chocolate Murder was a refreshing treat to read on a hot summer's day! A+++

Mint Chocolate Murder by Meri Allen is the second in the Ice Cream Shop Mystery series. Riley Rhodes, former CIA asset and librarian, is now the manager of the Udderly Delightful Ice Cream shop in Penniman, a small New England town. When reclusive, former model Maud Monaco want to create a fantasy ice cream social at her summer art festival on the grounds of her home, Moy Mull Castle, Riley is thrilled to have her handmade specialty ice cream feature. When the featured artist Adam Blasco, a photographer with a darkside, is murdered, Riley can’t help but delve into the locked room mystery.

I found this mystery well-plotted and complex, with many characters and red herrings that kept me changing my mind about the identity of the murderer. The locked room aspect was intriguing and the bits of information about beekeeping very interesting. I wish that Caroline and Jack had factored into the storyline more and, as others have said, I couldn’t figure out what the title had to do with the story. Pumpkin spice was talked about constantly but to my knowledge mint chocolate was never mention. So the title was a miss for me. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.). Overall, a solid entry for this series.

Just the right relaxation read for me - a cozy mystery set at a New England ice cream shop.
Riley, an ex CIA librarian with field experience finds herself manager of the Udderly Delights Ice Cream Shop and is enjoying her calmer life. She is hired to create custom flavors for an art event being held at Moy Mull castle - a gilded age Scottish castle recreation. Since this book is set in late summer/early fall there is lots of demand for pumpkin spice ice cream but there are also many other flavors touched on - I will have to see what I can recreate with my ice cream maker. Not only does the ice cream sound delicious, but the mystery had me hooked from the beginning. It was a locked room mystery that kept me guessing lots of suspects, lots of motives, lots of potential access points that need to be discarded. I had not read the first one in this series but had a lot of fun reading this one as a stand-alone! I will read more in this series !

Min Chocolate Chip Murder was a delight! Better than an ice cream on a hot summer day! This time Riley has an ice cream catering gig at a castle. Doesn’t that sound divine? Everything is going well until a photographer mysteriously dies in a locked room. Riley isn’t fooled and starts investigating this perfect crime.

This book was sweet and made me crave ice cream! I was actually surprised by the twist ending which is a bonus!

This is book 2 of the Ice Cream Shop Mysteries. When Udderly Delightful Ice Cream shop manager Riley Rhodes is summoned to Penniman’s Moy Mull Castle, she's curious, but thinks this is a great opportunity for her and the shop. Maud hires Riley to whip up a bunch of special ice cream treats to celebrate the art opening of Adam Blasco. When Adam turns up dead, Riley has to figure out who did it and discover the dark past of the murdered man.

How does a award winning photographer die behind a locked dungeon door? Riley Rhodes, manager of Utterly Delightful Ice Cream, is on the case. Hired to provide ice cream treats and flavors for the Fall Art Festival at Moy Mull Castle, Riley's former CIA librarian's mind must work out who wanted him dead. With too many suspects and not much time, Riley must find out how someone got into the locked dungeon, killed Adam, and got out without leaving a clue.
This series is so much fun. Throwing ice cream and mystery together makes for a great tub of deliciousness. I love reading about the different flavors offered at the Ice Cream Shop. Riley and her crew are so relatable and would make working with them entertaining. The Castle became an integrate part of the story with its secrets. Who wouldn't want to explore passages, rooms, nooks and crannies? Although not sure why it was called Mint Chocolate Murder since Pumpkin Spice was the flavor of the story, I look forward to the next installment. What will Riley be investigating and inventing next? I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.